(by Murray A. Barber and Michael Keuer; ISBN 978-0-955597-75-6; Tattered Flag Press, PO Box 2240, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 9AL; 6¼in x 9½in  hardback; 284 pages, illustrated; £25)

Those at the receiving end of a V2 will have painful memories of the shattering explosion followed by the noise of its descent, since it had travelled faster than sound. This new book tells the story of the V2 from von Braun’s early experiments as a schoolboy, through the scientists and technicians involved in development to the experiences of the soldiers who fired the V2s from mobile launching equipment, often in suburban streets.

Many problems were encountered in the early days such as explosions on launch pads and air bursts just after launch. Von Braun jokingly said: “I think the argument was never quite settled as to whether the V2s ever got to the point where the target was more dangerous than the launching site.”

(by Dr Bob Shaw; ISBN 978-0-9547045-1-3; self-published; 6in x 8¼in softback; 216 pages, illustrated; £11.95)

Every now and then a self-published book turns up on a subject which has not been covered before, and this is a good example. It is the history of the only RAF Boeing 247D, DZ203, which began life as NC13344 and later went to the Royal Canadian Air Force as 7655.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was working on a centimetre-wavelength radar project and needed to get a working prototype for airborne-interception radar to Britain for demonstrations and trials. The Canadians were working on a similar programme and offered to supply the Boeing which arrived in 1941 at the Telecommunications Research Establishment, Hurn to be operated by the Telecommunications Flying Unit, this moving to Defford in May 1942.

(by Barry Ketley; ISBN 978-0-955426-83-4; Crécy Publishing Ltd, 1a Ringway Trading Estate, Shadowmoss Road, Manchester M22 4LH; 7¾in x 10½in softback; 192 pages, illustrated; £14.95)

THERE IS A continuing interest in Second World War German aircraft, so the updated and enlarged version of this title will be welcomed by enthusiasts. What are the differences? The 1998 edition was co-authored with Mark Rolfe, but he is not mentioned here. The number of emblems covered, all in colour, has increased from 864 to 1,017 and instead of a mixed coverage straight through the new volume lists by units – fighters, night-fighters, bombers, transport, groundattack, reconnaissance, training, air-sea rescue and miscellaneous, the emblems being shown alongside each unit.

The new layout has advantages and disadvantages. It is fine if you are looking for a specific unit, but if you know the emblem and not the unit the earlier version is easier to check through as the emblems appear on a colour section of consecutive pages with 48 per page plus inside covers.

(by Jimmy Taylor; ISBN 978-0-9572210-0-0; Published by Greystones Publishing, distributed by York Publishing Services Ltd, 64 Hallfield Road, Layerthorpe, York YO31 7ZQ; 8½in x 12in hardback; 756 pages, illustrated; £27.50 (plus £8.80 postage in the UK)

THIS VERY THICK weighty tome was simply a delight to see. Author Jimmy Taylor was a photographic reconnaissance pilot flying Supermarine Spitfires in the Second World War, and is also an Aeroplane contributor.

By reading the book you will get a clear description of what was involved in this type of wartime flying, from the aircraft and cameras Jimmy Taylor used to how a photo-recce sortie was planned, how he navigated his way to enemy targets in occupied Europe and Germany alone, unarmed and often in bad weather, and the techniques used to take the pictures. He also outlines the operations of 16 Sqn as a whole, which includes information on a wartime photographic section which dealt with his films after a sortie – this is something I was particularly interested to read as a comparison, that being my trade while serving in the RAF during the 1980s and 1990s.